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2014 NFL Draft:
Third Round Mock Draft and Analysis
By: Gregg Schutze
65. Houston Texans – Antonio Richardson, 6’6”, 336lbs, OT, Tennessee
The Texans have a starter at LT in Duane Brown, but could use an upgrade over RT Derek Newton. Richardson has the size and length, but inconsistency at LT got Richardson into trouble. I think Richardson would make a lot of sense on the right side.
66. Washington Redskins – Brandon Thomas, 6’3”, 317lbs, OG, Clemson
The Redskins need help along the interior of their line and Thomas would bring some versatility. Thomas was an All-ACC LT while at Clemson, but he projects at LG at the next level. He’s quick for his size and shows he can get to the second level. He’s a knee bender, provides a good punch at the point of attack and can move laterally. His game film against Jadeveon Clowney, where he held his own, helped his draft stock. It’s unfortunate he tore his knee during a pre-draft workout, but Thomas will be an eventual starter.
67. Oakland Raiders – A.J. McCarron, 6’3”, 220lbs, QB, Alabama
Patience pays off as Oakland gets a proven winner at QB. McCarron may not have the measurables that some of the other QB prospects have, but McCarron has played in three national title games in his career, so you know the biggest stage won’t rattle him. McCarron has a high football IQ and can make all of the throws. He’s a proven winner, having a 36-4 record in 40 career starts with the Crimson Tide. McCarron has excellent timing and anticipation, sees the field well and is an excellent decision maker.
68. Atlanta Falcons – Austin Seferian-Jenkins, 6’6”, 262lbs, TE, Washington, Jr.
Now that Tony Gonzalez has retired, a need has opened at the TE position and there is a possibility the Falcons could use this pick to bring another former basketball player to Atlanta to play TE. The former Husky hoopster has excellent size, long arms and strong hands with a large catch radius. He’s a solid route runner to get himself open and is a terror in the red zone, having the body control to adjust to the ball in the air and elevating over defenders to make a play. Matt Ryan is going to need a weapon up the seam and Seferian-Jenkins is a big target that can get down the field.
69. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Tom Savage, 6’4”, 228lbs, QB, Pittsburgh
Savage has been one of the fastest risers in this year’s draft because of his big arm and prototypical size. Savage was not ultra-productive in his career and did play for three teams (Rutgers, Arizona and Pittsburgh) in his collegiate career, but he can make all of the throws needed at the next level and can really push the ball down the field. He wouldn’t have to start right away in Tampa with Luke McCown already in the fold, but could be an eventual starter in a couple years.
70. Jacksonville Jaguars – Kevin Norwood, 6’2”, 198lbs, WR, Alabama
The Jags must add weapons in their passing game, especially with the uncertainty surrounding Justin Blackmon. I think the Jags could opt to go with a WR in Round 2 and land a QB here in Round 3, possibly taking Zach Mettenberger at this point in the draft. However, if they go QB in the 2nd, the Jags could still get a solid possession-type WR. Kevin Norwood was A.J. McCarron’s security blanket at Alabama. Whenever a play broke down, A.J. was looking his way. While he’s best from the slot, Norwood will be a reliable target, which is exactly what any young QB will need.
71. Cleveland Browns – Bruce Ellington, 5’9”, 197lbs, WR, South Carolina, Jr.
The Browns need to continue to add weapons and while they have a playmaker in Josh Gordon and bigger WR’s like Nate Burleson and Greg Little, they could use a speedy slot receiver to handle underneath routes. Ellington has a good burst off the line to create separation, has the body control to adjust to the ball in the air and is elusive after the catch. Seems like a perfect fit.
72. Minnesota Vikings – David Yankey, 6’6”, 313lbs, OG, Stanford
The Vikings need to upgrade the interior of the line, especially at OG opposite LG Charlie Johnson. Yankey is a powerful run blocker who gets a good push at the point of attack and can anchor against a bull rush.
73. Buffalo Bills – Kareem Martin, 6’6”, 272lbs, DE, North Carolina
The Bills have Mario Williams at DE, but depth is an issue as only Alan Branch and Jerry Hughes can be counted on for minutes. Martin has excellent length, plays with good leverage and uses his hands well to get off blocks. Martin can bend a bit and can generate the power and push needed to drive his man back into the QB.
74. New York Giants – Will Sutton, 6’1”, 303lbs, DT, Arizona State
Johnathan Hankins has a bright future at DT for the Giants, but Cullen Jenkins and Mike Patterson are both over the age of 30, so it’s time to provide some more youth to the position. Sutton, the two-time Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year, is explosive off the ball and uses leverage, a quick first step and excellent hands to penetrate the line of scrimmage in a hurry. His 45.5 tackles for loss and 20.5 sacks Sutton generated in his Sun Devil career from the DT position are indicative of his disruptiveness inside.
75. St. Louis Rams – Aaron Murray, 6’1”, 207lbs, QB, Georgia
Even if the Rams stick by Sam Bradford at QB, they need to find a capable backup and Murray would be a nice value pick here in the 3rd Round. Murray seems to have recovered from a knee injury that ended his senior season early. He has excellent pocket presence, feeling the rush and either stepping up in the pocket or sidestepping the rush to get rid of the ball. He throws well on the move, squaring his shoulders to the target and getting his hips around to be very accurate outside the pocket. Murray has excellent mechanics and a quick release and will pick you apart if you let him stand in the pocket. He’s a timing QB, so his accuracy drops off quite a bit under pressure. However, he’s a playmaker. He holds the record for most TD passes in SEC history with 121. Murray is clutch, seemingly at his best when running a two-minute drill.
76. Detroit Lions – Terrence Brooks, 5’11”, 198lbs, FS, Florida State
The Lions do have Glover Quin and the newly-signed James Ihedigbo at safety, but that doesn’t mean Detroit won’t look to add another safety somewhere in the first three rounds. Brooks is a physical safety who likes to play in the box. He does a good job getting off blocks is a reliable tackler and a big hitter. He’ll even drop down and cover slot WR’s. His versatility would give the Lions some flexibility in their secondary.
77. San Francisco 49ers (from Tennessee) – Stanley Jean-Baptiste, 6’3”, 218lbs, CB, Nebraska
CB is a definite need area, with Eric Wright and Chris Culliver expected to start at the CB position and little depth behind them. The 49ers can steal a page out of the Seahawks’ playbook and go after a big, physical CB with excellent ball skills.
78. Dallas Cowboys – Trai Turner, 6’3”, 310lbs, OG, LSU, RS Soph.
Dallas has the makings of a solid offensive line. LT Tyron Smith is an All-Pro, last year’s 1st Round pick Travis Frederick will be a starter at center for a long time and RT Doug Free may have had his best season yet. Adding an OG with the athleticism of Turner would be a nice upgrade. Turner is an athletic road grader who can dominate his man at the point of attack. His 113 career knockdowns is evidence that Turner knows how to finish. He could have used another year in Baton Rouge, but there’s lots of upside.
79. Baltimore Ravens – Carlos Hyde, 6’0”, 230lbs, RB, Ohio State, Jr.
Following the off-field controversy of Pro Bowl RB Ray Rice, the Ravens need to be looking at another RB to be effective. Hyde has the blend of power and speed that can draw comparisons to how Rice runs. He runs with a low pad level between the tackles and will run through defenders. In the open field, Hyde has surprising speed. He’d be a steal in the 3rd.
80. New York Jets – Kyle Van Noy, 6’3”, 243lbs, OLB, BYU
Calvin Pace is 33 years of age, so the Jets need to start thinking about finding his eventual replacement as a pass rusher off the edge. Van Noy is a classic 3-4 OLB with a knack for making plays behind the line, totaling an impressive 62.0 tackles for loss and 26.0 sacks in his career with the BYU Cougars. Van Noy is instinctive, can get off blocks and is a reliable tackler in the open field.
81. Miami Dolphins – Pierre Desir, 6’1”, 198lbs, CB, Lindenwood
The Dolphins have Brent Grimes and Cortland Finnegan starting on the outside at CB, but both are entering the latter half of their careers. Desir has the size and ball skills to make a difference at the next level. He is a smooth athlete and has great ball skills, having racked up 25 interceptions in his career.
82. Chicago Bears – Dri Archer, 5’8”, 173lbs, RB/WR, Kent State
The Bears don’t have Devin Hester in their return game or on offense and could use a shot of explosiveness. The diminutive Archer can provide just that. He has a great burst and is elusive in the open field. Archer ran a 4.26 40 at the Combine and finished his career with 4980 All-Purpose yards and 40 TD for the Golden Flashes. He could be Chicago’s version of Dexter McCluster.
83. Cleveland Browns (from Pittsburgh) – Bishop Sankey, 5’10”, 209lbs., RB, Washington, Jr.
The Browns signed Ben Tate away from the Texans, but Dion Lewis is nothing more than a change-of-pace back, so another option to carry the load is needed in Cleveland. Sankey broke Corey Dillon’s single season rushing record with 1870 yards in 2013. He has excellent vision to see the hole and then has the lateral quickness to make a jump cut to get to the hole quickly. He was a workhorse for the Huskies, so you can expect him to handle the load in the NFL.
84. Arizona Cardinals – LaMarcus Joyner, 5’8”, 184lbs, CB/S, Florida State
Depth is an area of concern in the Arizona secondary, especially at corner behind Patrick Peterson and Antonio Cromartie. Joyner has the versatility to play either CB or SS at the next level. He is a tremendous athlete who plays bigger than his measurables. Joyner is instinctive, diagnoses plays quickly and does a good job reading the QB. He plays fast, flying to the football and his a punishing hitter when he arrives at the ball carrier. Joyner’s game fits well in the Cardinals’ system.
85. Green Bay Packers – Robert Herron, 5’9”, 193lbs, WR, Wyoming
Randall Cobb and Jordy Nelson give the Pack an explosive duo at WR and Jarrett Boykin earned a roster spot with his play last season, but they could use another deep threat to stretch defenses vertically. Herron is not the biggest WR, but he shows quick acceleration off the line to get up on his man in a hurry and is shifty enough in the open field to also help in the return game.
86. Philadelphia Eagles – Justin Ellis, 6’2”, 334lbs, NT, Louisiana Tech
The Eagles must find another NT as Bennie Logan may be better off playing at DE. Ellis is a mammoth of a man who is stout at the point of attack and can generate power to collapse the pocket. Ellis is surprisingly agile for his size and has active hands, but is at his best absorbing multiple blockers at the line of scrimmage.
87. Kansas City Chiefs – Brent Urban, 6’7”, 295lbs, DE, Virginia
The Chiefs could use another 3-4 DE and Urban is the type of player they could plug in right away. Urban explodes off the line and uses his long arms to extend, stack and shed blockers to be disruptive at the line of scrimmage. He can get after the passer and has the wingspan to be disruptive in the passing lanes.
88. Cincinnati Bengals – Jonathan Dowling, 6’3”, 190lbs, SS, Western Kentucky, Jr.
Reggie Nelson is over the age of 30 and Taylor Mays has never lived up to his potential, so safety is a need for the Bengals. Dowling has exceptional size, long arms and is a playmaker at strong safety. Since transferring to Western Kentucky two years ago, Dowling showed a knack for making plays on the football, intercepting 9 passes, knocking away 14 more and forcing 8 fumbles.
89. San Diego Chargers – Martavis Bryant, WR, 6’4”, 211lbs, Clemson, Jr.
The Chargers found their No. 1 WR in the second round a season ago in Keenan Allen, so they are hoping lightning strikes twice when they land Martavis Bryant the 3rd Round. Bryant is definitely raw, but he has the speed, size and athleticism to be a playmaker down the field. Bryant can stretch defenses, play outside the numbers and would be a weapon in the red zone.
90. Indianapolis Colts – Aaron Colvin, 5’11”, 177lbs, CB, Oklahoma
Aaron Colvin could have been a Day 2 pick had it not been for the injuries that piled up. He had offseason shoulder surgery prior to the 2013 season, which also slowed him up during the season, and battled turf toe throughout the year. To make matters worse, he tore his ACL at the Senior Bowl in January. When healthy, Colvin is one of the most instinctive CB’s in this year’s draft. Colvin, a three-year starter for the Sooners, is an intelligent CB who does a great job putting himself in position to make a play. He could battle for a starting spot early.
91. New Orleans Saints – Bashaud Breeland, 5’11”, 197lbs, CB, Clemson, Jr.
The Saints signed future Hall of Famer Champ Bailey to hold down one starting corner spot, but I envision New Orleans using an early draft pick on his eventual replacement. Breeland had a tremendous 2013 season with 4 picks and 13 pass breakups. He was also aggressive against the run (5 TFL) and showed an ability to rush the passer (2 sacks). He’s only a junior and is a bit raw, but he’ll be learning from one of the best.
92. Carolina Panthers – Telvin Smith, 6’3”, 218lbs, OLB, Florida State
Smith is an undersized LB with excellent range and can cover a lot of ground. Smith may be 6’3” and 218 pounds, but he plays bigger than his measurables. He’s instinctive and is very quick to the ball carrier at the line. Smith can even drop into coverage and should be a three-down player at the next level. I could see Smith playing opposite Thomas Davis at OLB.
93. New England Patriots –Jeremy Hill, 6’1”, 233lbs, RB, LSU, RS Soph.
LaGarrette Blount had success in New England a season ago, so I expect the Patriots to look for another downhill slasher in Hill. He’s powerful between the tackles and speed on the outside to be a complete back carrying the football. Hill also has good hands, so he can be an option out of the backfield.
94. San Francisco 49ers – Caraun Reid, 6’3”, 302lbs, DT, Princeton
There isn’t much depth behind Ray McDonald and Justin Smith up front defensively and Smith is 34, so he’s no getting any younger. Reid generated a good pass rush from the DT position, recording 20.5 career sacks while a Princeton. He’s also effective on special teams, blocking 7 kicks in his career. He’d be a good fit as a five-technique at the next level.
95. Denver Broncos – Jackson Jeffcoat, 6’3”, 247lbs, DE, Texas
The Broncos signed DeMarcus Ware to start opposite Derek Wolfe, but their roster is lacking depth at the DE position. Jeffcoat does a good job getting off blocks, pursues well down the line and closes well on the QB.
96. Minnesota Vikings (from Seattle) – Terrance West, 5’9”, 225lbs, RB, Towson, Jr.
Toby Gerhart left for Jacksonville via free agency, leaving the Vikings without a backup for Adrian Peterson. West was extremely productive at Towson, amassing 4854 yards rushing and 84 TD in just three seasons. He’s a tough, physical runner with a low pad level and is difficult to bring down between the tackles. Not only can he wear down defenses with his power, but he also has some speed in the open field and is a solid receiver. West is coming out a year early after setting the FCS record with 2509 rushing yards and 41 TD as a junior.
97. Pittsburgh Steelers (compensatory pick) – Dominique Easley, 6’2”, 288lbs, DT, Florida
The Steelers need help at the DE position and Easley has the versatility to play both inside in a 4- and outside in a 3-4 scheme. Easley is quick off the ball and is violent off the point of attack with his hands. He’ll attack the outside shoulder of the OG and will rip by blockers to get penetration to the backfield. Easley has good timing to beat his man off the ball and get quick penetration to disrupt plays. Easley could have been a 1st Round pick had it not been for an ACL tear in September, his second such injury since he’s been with the Gators. However, when he’s healthy, Easley is explosive and will wreak havoc in opposing backfields. 2013 Season: 3 Games, 5 Tackles, 2.0 TFL; 2012 Season: 26 Tackles, 8.5 TFL, 4.0 Sacks; 2011 Season: 37 Tackles, 7.5 TFL, 1.5 Sacks; 2010 Season: 4 Tackles
98. Green Bay Packers (compensatory pick) – Jared Abbrederis, 6’1”, 195lbs, WR, Wisconsin
The Packers have little depth beyond starters Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb and Jarrett Boykin. I could see the Packers getting a speedster to stretch defenses vertically and then use their second 3rd round pick on Abbrederis, who works the underneath routes and has a knack for getting open. He is a precise route runner who is very quick in and out of his cuts. The former track star has excellent speed down the field and is a reliable target on the outside.
99.Baltimore Ravens (compensatory pick) - Billy Turner, 6’5”, 315lbs, OT, North Dakota State
Michael Oher is gone, meaning Rick Wagner will be asked to start opposite Eugene Monroe. Turner is a small college lineman with 56 starts in his career and is versatile enough to play both OT positions.
100. San Francisco 49ers (compensatory pick) – Jaylen Watkins, 6’0”, 194lbs, CB, Florida
I could see the 49ers using multiple picks in the first three rounds at cornerback. Watkins showed off good athleticism and strength at the combine, running a 4.4 40 time and bench pressing 225 pounds 22 times. He’s also versatile, having played both CB and at safety with the Gators.